


What a Piece of Work is a Man

by Blink23



Series: So This is a Thing, Then? [2]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M, Reggie Mantle is a Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 16:08:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10597530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blink23/pseuds/Blink23
Summary: So the thing is, Reggie isn’t dumb.Some people would like to pretend he is, or that his arrogance means he is, but he isn’t. He does well in school and while his common sense is lacking sometimes, it never slips any more than any other teenage boy. And to be honest, it’s not like Moose is as slick as he thinks he is.





	

So the thing is, Reggie isn’t dumb. 

Some people would like to pretend he is, or that his arrogance means he is, but he isn’t. He does well in school and while his common sense is lacking sometimes, it never slips any more than any other teenage boy. And to be honest, it’s not like Moose is as slick as he thinks he is.

There’s only one reason you go to the river at night alone with someone else.

So he gives Moose shit for it. He’s not mean about it - He’s not a homophobic dick, thank you very much - but still teases him. He deserves it, a little bit, for scaring the shit out of Reggie. Nothing like hearing ‘someone’s body was found in the river after the dance’ the day after the friend you can’t get a hold of goes there. 

Moose denied it, of course, but yet again, he’s not stupid like some of their friends are. Unlike them, he's well aware saying you're not gay doesn't mean you're not into dudes.

Truthfully, he could do worse than Keller. He’s got a nice mouth (no homo) is actually pretty likable once you get past the model student bullshit, and can dish it out as much as he can take it. The few times he’s hung out with him - admittedly only thanks to Ronnie, but still - They get along well enough. She's how he finds out about his boyfriend, too, and it finally makes sense. Moose had got all moody a few weeks back, and suddenly Keller was way too interested in his phone. Moose would stare at him and sigh and it was a bunch of annoying shit, really, to watch him pine like that.

With all of that, though, he can’t help but feel bad for him when they overhear Jughead tell him all about how this Joaquin kid was just playing him. The look Moose shoots him - full stop longing, more than a little pathetic - makes Reggie roll his eyes and wonder how the big guy ever thought he was tricking anyone.

The following day, when Moose breaks up with Midge, it’s all the confirmation he needs, really.

 

The first school day after the weekend of The Moose/Midge Break Up, Kevin comes stumbling into the student lounge while Reggie’s buying a coke. 

“You okay Kev?” Jughead asks, and Kevin shakes his head no. Betty moves and he lies himself down gingerly across the couch she was sitting on, bending at the knees so he can fit on the tiny loveseat. Even from where he stands Reggie can tell he looks like shit.

“Do you need to go home? Should I call you dad, or...?”

“I think I just need to lie here,” is all he says, an arm thrown over his eyes, “I have the worst headache right now.”

“You’re not gonna puke, are you?” Archie asks, and Kevin grunts in response. Cheryl recoils from where she sits, looking at him like she wants to bolt, and Veronica looks like she’s right behind her.

Moose enters after, his eyes widening a little before ignores the scooby gang to sit at Kevin’s hip, “What’s wrong?”

“My brain feels like it’s trying to shove it’s way out of my eye sockets, no big deal.”

“You sure?” Moose’s hand nudges Kevin’s arm away from his forehead gently to feel out his temperature, the other cupping his cheek, and Cheryl’s eyebrows shoot up, “You gonna barf or anything?”

Kevin shakes his head, and then groans, “Okay, that was a bad idea. It’s a bad headache, no big deal. I have a free period and I’ll just lie here for it. If I still feel like death after I’ll go home. It’s already 1:30, it doesn’t really make sense for me to put a absence on my record for a headache.”

"I'm sure your dad-"

“Moose,” Kevin says, resting his hand on his knee, “I’m fine. Stop fussing.”

Moose sighs, and moves his hand from his forehead, dropping it to rest on Kevin’s chest, but keeps the one on his cheek.

“Okay, he says, rubbing his jaw with his thumb for a few seconds before pulling away from his face. He leans against his thighs and Kevin reaches up to squeeze his hand.

“Hey,” Moose says, “just one more day.”

Kevin chuckles, “Counting Saturday as a full day? Isn't that cheating?”

"Yeah, well, if I'm counting from yours, we're already at three."

Jughead's face is the definition of incredulous, and even Reggie agrees. 

The crowd disperses with the warning bell, so all that’s left is Reggie, Kevin, and a few Juniors. They’re clearly gossiping about what they just saw, and Kevin ignores them, either not caring or too in pain to bitch at them.

Reggie hops up on the arm of the couch he's sprawled out across, sipping at his coke loudly until Kevin glares at him.

"So, you and Moose-"

Kevin groans, "Mantle, my head hurts far too much to deal with this shit."

He raises his hands in surrender, "Okay, I don't want to piss you off, but I wanted to know what exactly is going on. And if I'm free to try to score with Midge."

"Ugh, straight guys," Kevin makes a face at him, which, yeah, fair enough, "Literally no loyalty. We... talked it out, I have no idea what exactly is going on, except that it's probably a thing. A big thing, by the way, so I’d talk to him before me, and don't make it into some locker room thing, or I'll destroy you."

“Yeah, yeah, I know. I'm not stupid, dude, but my subtlety isn't gonna be issue when Moose is drooling all over you like he just was." 

"I know," he says, and Kevin just looks so pleased it makes Reggie want to gag. 

"He likes you.”

“You think he’d be pulling guard dog duty if he didn’t?”

“And you’re into him?”

Reggie can't tell if the blush in his cheeks is because he's feeling ill or something else, but he doesn't answer. 

 

He stumbles upon them unintentionally, if anyone asks. He's going to grab his bag in his trunk, and is on his way to get it when he sees greasy little bastard shove Kevin against his car after he tries to walk around him. They’re arguing, clearly, and something in Reggie’s gut curdles as he jogs over to Kevin’s car.

“I feel terrible and I don’t want to do this right now, okay?”

“But if you’d just listen to -”

“You cool, Keller?” Reggie asks loudly, trying not to draw attention of everyone around and make this a scene, but enough that if this turns into something the little punk knows he has the advantage.

“Sure thing, Sporto,” is all Mr. Edgy says, in that lame, fake ass unaffected tone goth girls use when they want to act like they don't fantasize about him, "now if you don't mind-"

“No, I don’t think so,” Kevin snaps, annoyed, “I feel like death and this whole caveman thing isn’t really on my list of priorities right now. Joaquin, go home, Reggie, go to practice, and the both of you leave me the hell alone.”

He slams his door and starts the engine and it puts an end to any discussion. Reggie moves down to his own car as Danny Zuko stalks off in a snit. He ends up just late enough to not be late for practice, but almost everyone is gone and on the field already. Moose is the only one left in their row of lockers when he gets back, tying his cleats up.

“Just saw Keller eviscerate that little bitch he was dating. He’s mean as hell when he’s in pain. Shocked the dude showed up here, though. I thought Serpents were supposed to be street smart.”

“I know. Kev looked like he wanted to destroy him when he realized who was leaning against his car.”

“You know he was here? And still decided not to stake your clam, dude? I’m surprised.”

“He wouldn’t like it,” Is all Moose says, though it’s pained, “He was there when I walked him to the parking lot, and claimed it was alright and told me to go. He can take care of himself and I know that, and it’s... fine. If I was out there I’d break his nose. Kev doesn't feel good, but he doesn't like being treated like he's some helpless little weakling, and if I did it it would make him feel worse."

Reggie raises his eyebrows at him, unable to think of anything to say. This is the kid who literally kicked him in the shin for talking to his girlfriend about their Algebra final only six months ago. Yet here he was, willing to let Kevin pick his own battles, watching closely but giving him space. 

“Dude,” Reggie’s a little in awe, “He managed to make you whipped in like two days. Keller’s the fucking man.”


End file.
